Improving The Dining Experience In Schools
Improving the diningexperience in schools
ContentsIntroduction3Benefits of improving pupils’ dining experience3What is a good school dining experience?4Step by step plan5School dining experience checklist19Integrating with other school food projects20Curriculum links21Sources of further information24
IntroductionBenefits ofimproving pupils’dining experienceThis guidance booklet bringsImproving pupils’ dining experience will have atogether ideas and suggestionspositive impact on the uptake of school mealsfor your school to help improve theand the wider school day.experience pupils have at lunch time.The main benefit your school can expect fromWith the exception of voluntaryimproving the dining experience for pupils is agrammar and grant maintainedhappier and calmer population of children andintegrated schools, school mealyoung people. Improving the dining experienceprovision and accommodation is theat lunch time will also:responsibility of the education andlibrary boards (ELBs).If you are considering implementingany of the ideas or solutions withinthis booklet, please contact thecatering service at your ELB, which encourage positive behaviour among pupils; support increased uptake of free schoolmeals; make a significant contribution to your healthand wellbeing inspection.will be happy to help. If your school isplanning a new build or a renovation,consider the common issues withinthis booklet and try to address themat the planning stage.3
What is a goodschool dining experience?Good use of colour, images, messages, information, well-plannedseating and music can have an enormous effect on the sense of ‘space’in a dining area.Pupils’ surroundings can have an impact on their sense of wellbeing,and in terms of changing the culture, ethos and understanding ofhealthy eating messages, schools have found that focusing on theirdining rooms is invaluable.But there is no simple solution and no ‘one size fits all’. One school’snoisy atmosphere is another’s happening buzz. Round tables may workin one school, while tall stools may be the solution in another. However,no amount of good seating and attractive menus and displays at anyschool will tempt the pupils to eat healthier food if they are frustrated byhaving to spend too much time queuing during their lunch break.Like everyone else, children and young people will appreciate andbe motivated by the right atmosphere and organisation in their diningspace. To develop healthier eating habits pupils must respect and enjoythe environment they sit in.A successful dining space is all about good design. Just as important isthe need for clear leadership and a shared vision of what will work. A lotof valuable adjustments can be made with only modest changes and asmall amount of funds.4
Step by step plan1.Getting startedAny changes to improve the overall school dining experience needs to have everyone’s support.A great way to ensure this happens is to adopt a whole school approach, where you candevelop an ethos that supports and promotes health and wellbeing and the participation ofeveryone within the school community.Assess the needBefore implementing any changes to the school dining experience, assess what needs to bedone. Use surveys and discussions to identify what the problems are and any clear solutions.This could be achieved at an assembly, parents’ evening or via the school newsletter. Makea point of observing the dining room experience. Make notes and take pictures to recordthe areas for improvements. The results will help provide information on whether pupils andparents want changes to the dining experience. For inspiration, visit other dining spaces, cafésand restaurants. Take in the views of the whole school community, including pupils, teachers,caterers and dining room supervisors.Form an action groupAn enthusiastic action group made up from members of the school community will be essentialto follow through with any changes. Senior management support and involvement will ensurethe success of any changes you make.Many schools decide to organise dining experience improvements through their school councilor by forming a school nutrition action group (SNAG). The group should involve: a senior member or adviser from the catering service; a representative from the senior school management team; pupils from the school council or the SNAG, if in place; a parent representative; a representative from the board of governors; a teacher who has responsibility for health and wellbeing.Also consider support from the wider community, for example local businesses and healthprofessionals such as community dietitians and school nurses.5
Step by step planMake proposalsAll the information your group gathers needs to be made into key action points that your schoolwould like to take forward and present to senior management. There is a need to be realistic.Changes take time and commitment and can require additional funding. Ensure that youroutcomes are achievable.If additional funding is required, speak to the catering manager at your ELB or seniormanagement team member. Other areas for funding may include your parent teachersassociation.Implement and review actionsYou will need to focus on the budget you have available to make the changes and meetregularly to monitor the progress of your action plan. You will need to evaluate the changesmade and any impact they have had on pupils and the school.2.Providing a good dining spaceChildren and young people are more likely to eat a healthy meal at school if they have a seatand a table. A good dining space is an excellent opportunity to give them an experience of adining situation, which they may or may not get at home. It also promotes social skills and atime to sit and eat with friends, providing time away from the pressures of the classroom.Maximising spaceIf the dining area is used as a multi-purpose area, consider purchasing new furniture. There areoptions available for foldable and ‘stationary chairs’. Contact the catering manager at your ELB,or the appropriate member of staff within grant maintained integrated and voluntary grammarschools with responsibility for the dining room and its furniture. A discussion with this personmay help you to maximise the number of seats available while still having sufficient room forpupils to move freely about the dining room.6
Extra indoor spaceIs there room to have extra indoor dining space elsewhere? This needn’t be next door to thekitchen. You may want an extra dining space as an option for older age groups. There are waysthat you can make space that is used for other purposes feel like a dining space during lunchbreak. Speak to your catering manager, as food hygiene and health and safety issues needcareful consideration when exploring this option and may impact on the provision of meals.Outside spaceIf not already in place, is there some outside space which could be used? You could look atareas of the playground which are underused, consider setting up an awning to add shade onsunny days, or to protect when it’s raining.Mobile food serverDiscuss with the catering service the possibility of providing additional food service areas.These can be soup urns on trolleys, or ‘grab and go’ options for healthy sandwiches, salad barsand baked potatoes. Ensure there are seats and tables available.Case studies In a new, large post-primary school the kitchen has been designed in such a way that thededicated sixth form area can be serviced throughout the day by the same kitchen from aseparate service point. The pupils have been consulted about the furniture, which willinclude a range of more modern cafeteria style options. An integrated post-primary school has extended their dining room to include space outside.The school has provided wooden tables and benches for pupils to eat their lunch outside.This outside area is used throughout the year despite our weather!7
Step by step planMaking the dining space feel invitingPlace of relaxationSet your action group an aim to understand, from the customer’s point of view, what will makethe dining room a place of relaxation and comfort.Name the dining spaceHave a competition to give the dining space a name, like a café or restaurant. It promotesreferences to meeting and eating there. Create an art project to decorate the dining space, inkeeping with the new name.Display pupils’ artworkConsider putting up pupils’ artwork or other display work and changing it regularly basedon themes or projects in your school. You may wish to choose local artwork to represent thetheme of the dining area. Introduce a themed table, giving each class a turn over the year to beresponsible for this.Soft musicDepending on the acoustics in the dining space, music can either add or detract from the noiselevels. If the acoustics are right, soft music has been found to relax children and young people,and can encourage them to reduce the noise levels so that the music can be heard. The musicselections need to be sensible, but can be a useful incentive for pupils if they are allowed tochoose what is played.TemperatureReview the temperature: is it too hot or too cold, does this change with the seasons? Speakto those who are responsible for the space and look at practical solutions such as heaters,coolers or covering bright windows in summer with adjustable blinds.Colour of the wallsIf your dining room is to be painted, consider what colour to use. The colour of the paint canhelp to cool or warm the room or affect the feeling of space. A new bright colour on just onewall or a section could help.8
Defined zonesA good way to make a large space feel more comfortable and interesting is to have differentzones or spaces defined. This is particularly useful if you have different age groups to cater for,or pupils with differing needs. This can be done with different colours, furniture and furnishings.Post-primary schools might consider using long walls or room dividers to create spaces wherebars with high stools provide a different type of space to eat in. However, be careful this doesnot cut out space or light.Younger pupilsIn both primary and secondary schools it is important to think about the youngest members ofthe school. Look at ways to introduce them into the busy dining area gently. Have a dedicatedseating area which is away from the hustle and bustle of the queues and servery. Some schoolshave set up ‘buddy’ systems where older pupils provide extra support to younger pupils.Case studyA large primary school has been running a successful breakfast club. Over 70 children attend. Itwanted to look at making the breakfast club more inviting to all children. Through help from theirParent Teachers Association, the school invested in a large plasma TV and CD player. Thereare separate areas where children can finish off their homework, read, play games or just chat.9
Step by step planMaking a room used for other purposes feel like a dining areaStackable tablesThese are commonly found in schools where the dining room is used as a multi-purpose area.Find tables which can be easily stacked or stored away, so they can be put in the corner or in astoreroom. Some tables come with wheels to make it easy to transport them, though these willneed a larger storage area.Tablecloths and settingsUse tablecloths on service and display areas as a quick and easy way to change theatmosphere of a room. Pictures of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables on vinyl tableclothswill reinforce the healthy eating message, and they can also be wiped clean. Why not have acompetition to design the school tablecloth or placemats?Menu boardsMenu boards can allow pupils to see quickly what’s on offer. After lunch try displayingtomorrow’s menu outside the dining room. Menu boards can be colourful and fun. Speak toyour catering service if you would like to consider this option.DecorationIf the hall is used for other activities, such as physical education or drama, consider decoratingthe hall with a joint theme. Why not have a sports café theme, or a theme from a play or aShakespeare or Harry Potter production?PlanningIf practical, avoid planning activities for your hall immediately before or after lunch time. This willreduce pressure on catering staff for clearing away tables, and lessen the possibility of childrenand young people rushing their meals.10
3.Managing lunch timesStaggered lunch timesIf you have to provide lunch to a large group of pupils, you may want to introduce a staggeredsystem. Here are a number of different ways a staggered system can help: Have one lunch time period when everyone is on a break, but stagger the times when pupilsarrive into the dining room. Have a set amount of time allocated to lunch for each year group, but stagger the starttimes of these lunch time periods. Some schools have had success with planning a timetable where the start times of lunchare staggered around the last morning lesson, so that pupils start their lunch before, duringor after their last morning lesson, depending on which day of the week it is. So, on somedays pupils will have a lunch that starts halfway through their lesson, and they would comeback to finish the lesson after lunch. This allows you to mix year groups easily and ensurethat there is an even spread of earlier and later lunch times for everyone throughout the week.When looking at staggering, ensure that the system you set up is flexible enough to allowchildren and young people to relax and enjoy their food.Review length of lunch breakIt may be that your lunch break could be extended. Review the reasons for the timing of yourcurrent lunch break. Has it just always been that way, or has it been changed to managebehaviour? If it has been to manage behaviour consider other ways to approach the issue.Increasingly schools are shortening lunch breaks. This can be counterproductive, leading tostressed pupils who have had little time to digest their food, relax and recover to concentrate inafternoon lessons.Introduce a cashless systemA cashless system can speed up the buying process and is particularly useful in larger postprimary dining rooms. This can be done using biometric or swipecard systems. If your schoolmeal service is provided by the ELB, specific funding needs to be discussed and agreed.11
Step by step planMultiple pointsSpeak to your catering service about providing multiple points at which young people canchoose and collect their food as well as multiple points at which to pay. Have a separate queueto pay and a separate queue for choosing. Staffing costs and space will need to be considered.Label foodThis enhances presentation and when pupils get to the food counter it will reduce time andrepetitive questions asked of the canteen staff. This will also be an opportunity to show whetherparticular meals meet special requirements such as nut allergies.Meal dealsConsider introducing meal deals, where a whole meal (perhaps consisting of a hot dish, a pieceof fruit and a drink) are set at one slightly reduced price. This reduces choice time and canencourage young people to take healthier meals, particularly if favourably priced.Circulate the menuCirculate the menu to everyone before they get to the dining hall. This will reduce the timetaken to choose what to have. Post a large sign advertising the meals that day, or that week,outside the dining hall. Some schools send menus round at lesson times and many schoolssend menus home. This is a good way to inform parents about how their money is being spent.Where available, plasma screens can be used for displaying and promoting the catering service.Grab and goTo speed up the process of getting a meal, look at providing ‘grab and go’ menu items, whichcan be quickly picked up and taken to the till. This can work for healthy food options. Providea variation of grab and go items day to day to ensure nutritional balance throughout the week.Speak to your catering service regarding this.Pre-ordering systemSpeak to your catering service regarding this system. It is particularly useful for those who haveextra-curricular activities during their lunch times. The catering service may need to considera separate collection and pay point, or to introduce a separate service for those doing specialactivities such as school council meetings. Primary schools might consider letting the pupilschoose their meals during registration and giving them coloured stickers to show their choicewhen they go up for their lunch.12
4.Encouraging healthy eatingInvolve the pupilsInvolve pupils in the process of planning their lunch times and the food available. They willappreciate the importance of lunch time and have a greater feeling of ownership. As they arethe customers, lunch time should feel like their service.Design the menuHave a competition, or classes could take turns on designing and displaying the weekly menu.This will attract attention to the food and the dining space.Taster sessionHave taster sessions for parents and pupils regularly, and encourage pupils to try a little ofsomething new whenever possible. With patience, their palates can change and they will beless likely to say no to new things in the future.Attractive food presentationEnsure that the food looks fresh and has not been on display too long. Have an attractiveservery, and dish up from serving dishes if possible. An attractive salad bar near the till willoften encourage children and young people to take a little bit of salad with their meal.Promote social interactionAllow pupils having packed lunches and hot meals to sit together. This will promote socialinteraction and allow friends to socialise while eating. It will also ensure that pupils do not haveto make a decision about whether to eat school dinners or packed lunch based on sitting withtheir friends.13
Step by step planPromote the foodThis can be done on special occasions or perhaps by introducing a regular themed day. Someschools have special events such as food festivals, to promote the work they have done onmeals. The more school food is promoted outside the school, the more likely pupils will want tobe involved.Reward healthy eatingIncentives and reward schemes to promote good behaviour and healthy eating choices areoperating successfully in many primary and post-primary schools. Support this by having rulesor targets for healthy eating to ensure pupils are aware of what is expected from them.Case studyA voluntary grammar school in Dungannon has introduced an incentive to promote healthyeating. The SNAG organises a healthy eating competition linked to the cashless system in theschool dining room. Pupils may build up bonus points on their own personal accounts whenthey purchase healthier snacks or meals such as fruit, vegetables or the daily ‘healthy special’.Prizes are awarded at the end of each term to those in each key stage who have gained mostbonus points.14
5.Meeting everyone’s needsFree school mealsIn some, but not all schools, there can be a stigma around collecting free school meals. If it isan issue in your school then using cashless or ticket systems for all pupils may be solutions toconsider.Special educational needs and disabilityDining spaces should meet the needs of all pupils including those with special educationalneeds (SEN) and disability, whether they can access the space independently or withassistance. It is essential to consult these pupils about their needs, and also to consult theirparents, teachers and support staff.Planning considerations should cover issues such as queuing and paying systems, viewingfood options at eye level, and accessing seating areas. Pupils should be encouraged to maketheir own lunch choices. Dining spaces may require more space or a flexible layout to allowaccess for independent wheelchair users and their carers, to sit and dine alongside others.Dining together is a social experience, promoting a sense of belonging and incl
Improving pupils’ dining experience will have a positive impact on the uptake of school meals and the wider school day. The main benefit your school can expect from improving the dining experience for pupils is a happier and calmer population of children and young people. Improving the dining experience at lunch time will also:
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